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About 500 police officers, Border Police personnel, and members of special units raided locations across Israel early Monday morning, arresting dozens of suspects following a lengthy undercover investigation led by the Coastal District’s Central Unit and Lahav 433.

Police said further details would be released later.

This is a developing story. 

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Foreign military officers accompanied by US troops have been spotted near the Gaza Strip border over the past two weeks, as preparations continue for the deployment of a multinational force deeper into the Strip, security officials confirmed to Walla on Monday.

The Israeli government has authorized the US to deploy an initial multinational force of approximately 250 foreign troops.

Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Uganda, and Albania have so far expressed willingness to participate in the force. Kazakhstan has offered medical and logistical assistance, while Kosovo has proposed supporting security and policing operations.

Israel concerned over Turkish involvement and rapid deployment of multinational force

One of the factors delaying the formation of the multinational force is pressure from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Washington to allow Turkey to participate in operations in Gaza, as part of Ankara’s efforts to expand its regional influence, according to Walla.

Officials in Jerusalem and the Israeli defense establishment strongly oppose Turkish involvement, citing Ankara’s policies toward Israel, Erdogan’s statements, and Turkey’s hosting of Hamas’s terrorist headquarters.

According to Israeli assessments, Hamas’s headquarters in Turkey directed a terrorist attack near Hebron more than two weeks ago in which two IDF soldiers were killed.

Israeli defense officials are also concerned about Washington’s future policies toward Israel and the speed at which the multinational force could enter Gaza.

These concerns come amid fears that senior US administration officials could adopt a more hostile stance toward Israel, particularly following Republican losses in the midterm elections.

“It is not unrealistic that the Gaza Division and Southern Command could wake up one day and discover that there is a foreign multinational force with more soldiers than the number of troops in the Gaza Division. Israel needs to be prepared for several diplomatic and security scenarios with implications on the ground,” a security official said.

US military base expands as preparations for new Rafah city advance

Meanwhile, the US military continues to transfer vehicles and equipment to a special base near the Gaza border, within the area of responsibility of the IDF Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade.

The equipment includes trucks, armored vehicles designed to transport troops across difficult terrain, medical evacuation vehicles, and armored vehicles equipped with machine guns.

The facility was originally an IDF base before being handed over to the US. Guard towers have since been erected, surveillance and lighting systems installed, and the perimeter fence renovated. Armed US troops now secure the base around the clock.

At the same time, preparations are advancing for the construction of the planned “terror-free Emirati city” on the ruins of part of Rafah, a project approved by the Israeli government.

Engineering work is underway at the site ahead of the planned relocation of tens of thousands of Palestinians, who would undergo strict security screening, including approval from Israeli authorities.

The initial multinational force is expected to secure the area surrounding the new city.

However, security officials said only a limited number of Palestinians would initially be admitted to the compound following security screening, with the project operating as a pilot program.

No timetable has been set for the project’s implementation.

The preparations come as Israel’s political leadership continues to oppose reconstruction in Gaza without first disarming Hamas and transferring control of the area to a third party.

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Foreign military officers accompanied by US troops have been spotted near the Gaza Strip border over the past two weeks, as preparations continue for the deployment of a multinational force deeper into the Strip, security officials confirmed to Walla on Monday.

The Israeli government has authorized the US to deploy an initial multinational force of approximately 250 foreign troops.

Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Uganda, and Albania have so far expressed willingness to participate in the force. Kazakhstan has offered medical and logistical assistance, while Kosovo has proposed supporting security and policing operations.

Israel concerned over Turkish involvement and rapid deployment of multinational force

One of the factors delaying the formation of the multinational force is pressure from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Washington to allow Turkey to participate in operations in Gaza, as part of Ankara’s efforts to expand its regional influence, according to Walla.

Officials in Jerusalem and the Israeli defense establishment strongly oppose Turkish involvement, citing Ankara’s policies toward Israel, Erdogan’s statements, and Turkey’s hosting of Hamas’s terrorist headquarters.

According to Israeli assessments, Hamas’s headquarters in Turkey directed a terrorist attack near Hebron more than two weeks ago in which two IDF soldiers were killed.

Israeli defense officials are also concerned about Washington’s future policies toward Israel and the speed at which the multinational force could enter Gaza.

These concerns come amid fears that senior US administration officials could adopt a more hostile stance toward Israel, particularly following Republican losses in the midterm elections.

“It is not unrealistic that the Gaza Division and Southern Command could wake up one day and discover that there is a foreign multinational force with more soldiers than the number of troops in the Gaza Division. Israel needs to be prepared for several diplomatic and security scenarios with implications on the ground,” a security official said.

US military base expands as preparations for new Rafah city advance

Meanwhile, the US military continues to transfer vehicles and equipment to a special base near the Gaza border, within the area of responsibility of the IDF Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade.

The equipment includes trucks, armored vehicles designed to transport troops across difficult terrain, medical evacuation vehicles, and armored vehicles equipped with machine guns.

The facility was originally an IDF base before being handed over to the US. Guard towers have since been erected, surveillance and lighting systems installed, and the perimeter fence renovated. Armed US troops now secure the base around the clock.

At the same time, preparations are advancing for the construction of the planned “terror-free Emirati city” on the ruins of part of Rafah, a project approved by the Israeli government.

Engineering work is underway at the site ahead of the planned relocation of tens of thousands of Palestinians, who would undergo strict security screening, including approval from Israeli authorities.

The initial multinational force is expected to secure the area surrounding the new city.

However, security officials said only a limited number of Palestinians would initially be admitted to the compound following security screening, with the project operating as a pilot program.

No timetable has been set for the project’s implementation.

The preparations come as Israel’s political leadership continues to oppose reconstruction in Gaza without first disarming Hamas and transferring control of the area to a third party.

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The Water Authority has no plan to address flooding, Orly Babitsky, head of climate resilience at the Israeli environmental advocacy group Adam Teva V’Din, said during an interview today on 103FM.

Babitsky cited a shortfall in spending over the previous decade and unresolved questions about which national and local authorities are responsible.

“Investment was supposed to total about NIS 7 billion. Of that, only NIS 1.5 billion was invested. We’re talking about the previous decade. That’s what was invested. It’s not surprising. There’s serious disarray. Who is responsible? Who is supposed to spend the money? Many of these questions remain unresolved today, both nationally and in local governments,” she said.

Local authorities can prepare for heavier rainfall

Babitsky said increasingly intense rainfall underscored the need for local governments to prepare for flooding.

“We are seeing our rainfall patterns become much more intense and severe,” she said. “That means a great deal of water falling over a very short period, causing flooding. Local authorities may not be able to change rainfall patterns, but they can prepare for them. That is exactly what the state comptroller was talking about.”

She said the problem could be addressed through a combination of measures coordinated by those responsible for different aspects of flood management. She described solutions “that together could give us a better drainage system. One option is simply to designate areas that can be flooded during this kind of weather event, without harming property or people. Once the event has passed, the water can seep into the ground and replenish our aquifers, which we will need so badly later when it gets hot.”

Flood risk management plan lacks funding

Babitsky said local governments also need to maintain and expand their drainage systems.

“We need to work on local authorities’ drainage infrastructure, whether that means maintaining older infrastructure or expanding existing systems. The infrastructure designed to date was planned for weather events that are already disappearing, that no longer exist,” she said.

She also pointed to the cost of implementing the flood risk management plan, which she said was released without a budget.

“The scale is really very, very large. We’re talking about many billions that are needed. Certainly more than NIS 1.5 billion. There are two main problems with the funding. In October 2026, finally, after more than six years, a flood risk management plan was released. A great, wonderful plan, with people assigned responsibility, but no budget.”

“There is no budget allocation,” she stressed. “A plan was released without a budget allocation, and the plan itself says dedicated funding sources will be developed. It’s a joke. How can you release a plan and say funding arrangements will be developed when there is no Treasury budget allocation for it?”

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After President Isaac Herzog handed him the mandate, Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot is beginning his 28-day effort to form a coalition to lead Israel through the myriad challenges ahead.

One of those most urgent challenges is the deteriorating image of Israel abroad, especially among the populace of its greatest ally, the United States.

Between the results of the US midterm elections – with a sweep by Democrats, including victories by staunch anti-Israel politicians – US Vice President JD Vance’s response – declaring that support for Israel was one of four major factors in the Republicans’ trouncing and expressing the need for a reset in the ties between the two countries – and US President Donald Trump’s announcement of the end of “$4 billion” in aid to the Jewish state, Israel-US ties are entering uncharted territory.

The “change” bloc led by Eisenkot is not the only one placing the onus for those frayed ties on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Former US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro last week deemed Netanyahu politically “toxic” in Washington in an interview with Ynet. He claimed that not only are Democrats unwilling to work with Netanyahu, but that Republicans – as exemplified by the Vance camp – increasingly associate him with the unpopular war against Iran. Shapiro’s conclusion, like that of Eisenkot’s bloc, is that Israel’s deteriorating standing in the United States could become impossible to reverse without a change in leadership and policy.

Netanyahu-free Eisenkot-led coalition not guaranteed to fix relationship

However, those who believe that an Eisenkot-led coalition without Netanyahu will help rehabilitate Israel’s standing abroad may be in for a rude awakening. A case in point is last week’s exchange between Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, perceived among American liberals as the reasonable, peace-minded voice in Israeli politics, and New York Congressman-elect Brad Lander.

A day after last week’s US midterms, Lapid wrote a lengthy X/Twitter post, saying that America was not “lost” and proposed a plan to shore up bipartisan support for Israel.

Stating that most Democratic officials don’t oppose Israel but have been dismayed by Netanyahu’s coalition, especially the behavior and policies of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Lapid proposed that Israeli leaders embark on a listening tour of the US, speaking not just with politicians from both parties but also with leaders of US Jewry and other religious and ethnic communities across the ideological spectrum.

He urged the next Israeli government – which he plans to be part of – to focus on marginalizing the extreme anti-Israel Democrats and concentrate on reestablishing ties with the moderates who have distanced themselves from the Jewish state.

Lapid’s attempt at reconciliation and his promise to reset Israel’s relationship with the US were immediately rebuffed by Lander, who responded: “You’re not listening to what American voters – Jewish and non-Jewish – are saying. We aren’t starving for a barnstorming tour. We’re hungry to see respect for international law and human rights.”

Lander, briefly detained by Israeli officials last month for joining a group of international volunteers accompanying local Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest, identifies as a Zionist but has also accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

For him, and for many in the Democratic Party – which now controls the House and the Senate – it doesn’t matter who is in power in Israel as long as the perceived “occupation” of Palestinian land still exists.

Lapid responded to that criticism and other comments on his post: “There will be those who want to genuinely engage to rebuild and repair the relationship between our two countries, and there will be those who relentlessly push an anti-Israel agenda no matter what. I’m interested in those who are willing to listen and engage.”

Have we reached the point of no return?

The question is whether we have already reached the point of no return. It won’t be a surprise if we discover, with Netanyahu potentially out of the picture, that he wasn’t really the problem but just a convenient scapegoat for widespread anti-Israel sentiment.

No matter which government leads Israel, it will be demonized as “bloodthirsty” and “genocidal.”

Let’s hope that, if Eisenkot succeeds in forming a government without Netanyahu, Lapid can also succeed in his plan to reset ties with the US. However, the signs that it will be a Herculean task are already apparent.

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The IDF on Monday released new details of the operations that led to the return of Lt. Hadar Goldin’s remains to Israel, a year after he was brought home, and more than 11 years after he was killed and abducted by Hamas.

The new information revealed by the military includes details on the 10-kilometer-long tunnel where the terror group kept Goldin’s remains, as well as new information on the operations to bring him back.

Goldin was killed during a battle in Rafah, Gaza, on August 1, 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, when Hamas violated a ceasefire, and his body was taken by the terrorist group. He left behind his parents, a sister, two brothers, and his fiancée.

His remains were returned on November 9, 2025, and he was laid to rest two days later. According to the IDF, the long effort to recover him contributed significantly to the defeat of Hamas’s Rafah Brigade and to the military’s achievements across the area.

How the IDF located Hadar Goldin’s remains

In July 2025, during a special operation by Southern Command forces and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), guided by Military Intelligence, troops arrested Hamas operative Marwan al-Hams, who was suspected of knowing where Goldin was buried in Rafah’s “Dror Lavan” tunnel.

The IDF said the arrest was one of dozens of covert operations carried out over the years as part of a broad effort by the military and the Shin Bet to return him for burial.

In a separate Southern Command operation, soldiers from the Commando Brigade, the Yahalom combat engineering unit and the Shayetet 13 naval commando unit uncovered the underground route in southern Rafah where Goldin was held in the final years before his return.

The route stretches for more than 10 kilometers and has three levels, the deepest of which lies 30 meters underground. It runs beneath a densely populated residential neighborhood near the Philadelphi Corridor and continues through sensitive civilian areas, including a UNRWA compound, mosques, clinics, kindergartens and schools, the IDF said.

Troops found about 80 rooms inside, including command rooms used by senior Hamas commanders to store weapons, stay for long periods, and plan attacks against Israeli forces. Among them was Rafah Brigade commander Mohammed Shabana.

Archival footage of operations by Shayetet 13 and Yahalom forces within the underground network (Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)

IDF seals tunnel with 30,000 cubic meters of concrete

At the end of June 2026, Yahalom and Shayetet 13 forces finished sealing the route, which the IDF said was more than 16 kilometers long, using more than 30,000 cubic meters of concrete.

In November 2025, just hours after Goldin’s return, a Nahal Brigade combat team destroyed the shaft through which he had been abducted 11 years earlier.

After the National Center of Forensic Medicine completed the identification process, together with the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, IDF representatives informed Goldin’s family that he had been returned for burial. 

The effort combined extensive intelligence work with ground operations led by the IDF and the Shin Bet, and spanned the past decade, intensifying during the war, the military said.

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A 16-year-old east Jerusalem resident has been arrested on suspicion of tearing a mezuzah from the doorpost of a Jewish home in the Silwan neighborhood and spraying graffiti on its front door, police said on Sunday.

The homeowner, who lives in the Kfar HaTeimanim section of Silwan, returned home on Thursday night to find that the mezuzah had been ripped from the doorframe and graffiti had been sprayed on the entrance. He called the police.

Officers from the Shalem station and Jerusalem Border Police opened an investigation and identified the teenager as a suspect. He was arrested and taken for questioning at the Shalem police station.

On Sunday morning, the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court extended the minor’s remand until Tuesday, November 10, to allow the investigation to continue.

Border Police remove nationalist, pro-Palestinian graffiti from western Galilee villages

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An Israeli family that mistakenly entered Area A of the West Bank on Thursday evening was rescued in a security operation after the father called the police emergency hotline for help.

The family, a Jerusalem couple aged 41 and 34 and their one-year-old son, was located near a hotel in Bethlehem and safely transferred to Israeli security forces.

However, the parents were subsequently taken to the Etzion Police Station for questioning on suspicion of entering a prohibited area.

The incident began at approximately 8:25 p.m., when the father called the police emergency hotline and reported that he had accidentally entered Area A with a group of tourists.

Security forces launched an operation to locate the family, coordinating efforts between the Israel Police’s Judea and Samaria District, the Joint Coordination and Cooperation Directorate, IDF coordination officials, and the Palestinian police.

Israeli family rescued from Bethlehem, parents questioned over entry into Area A

Palestinian police officers later located the man near a hotel in Bethlehem, where he was accompanied by his partner and their one-year-old son.

Following coordination between the authorities, the family was handed over to officers from the Etzion Police Station and IDF coordination representatives. All three were safe and unharmed.

The rescue, however, did not mark the end of the incident.

The parents were taken to the Etzion Police Station, where they were questioned on suspicion of entering a prohibited area.

Both were released under restrictive conditions after questioning.

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The Tel Aviv Municipality is moving ahead with plans to use technology to enforce restrictions on unnecessary honking after Noise won a tender to install and operate the system. Enforcement is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027.

The system will initially be installed at 11 locations across the city, including the intersection of Bograshov and Tchernichovsky streets and the area around Rabin Square. The sites were selected in consultation with the municipal environmental authority based on pedestrian traffic, each site’s central location, the number of residents, major traffic routes, and public complaints. 

An array of microphones will detect honking and pinpoint its source. A video camera will then identify the vehicle using a “sound map.” The data will be sent to a municipal inspector, who will review the circumstances and decide whether to issue a ticket. Fines will be issued to the vehicle’s registered owner, according to Transportation Ministry records.

Private vehicle owners will face fines of NIS 250 for a first offense and NIS 500 for a repeat offense. For corporate vehicle owners, the fines will be NIS 500 for a first offense and NIS 1,000 for a repeat offense.

Deputy Mayor for Transportation and Road Safety Meital Lehavi said that “the horn is a safety device, not a tool for expressing emotions, and traffic jams are not an emergency,” adding that anyone behind the wheel “is not entitled to take over public space.”

Project initially launched decade ago

Lehavi said the project was initiated about a decade ago, but technological advances only made it feasible in recent years. Tel Aviv is launching the system with more monitoring locations than any other city in Israel, she added.

Dr. Davy Dishnik, deputy mayor and chairman of the municipal committee overseeing tenders, said the smart, data-based enforcement system aims to address an everyday nuisance and improve quality of life in the city.

Other Israeli cities already use similar technology. Petah Tikva pioneered the approach in Israel and operates an acoustic camera system that has resulted in about 500 tickets, each carrying a NIS 245 fine. Kiryat Ono uses similar enforcement as part of the “Quiet Cities” project, while Netanya also enforces restrictions on unnecessary honking.

Ramat Gan has announced plans to introduce a similar system, with six cameras planned for major intersections and a higher fine of NIS 730.

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US President Donald Trump said that growing dislike of Israel among American voters was one of the main reasons for the Republican Party’s sweeping defeat in the midterm elections, alongside the war with Iran and rising gasoline prices.

In an extensive interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes, conducted by correspondent Ross Douthat at the White House on Friday and scheduled to air Sunday, Trump offered his most detailed public assessment yet of the election results, which cost Republicans control of both chambers of Congress.

Asked to explain the defeat, Trump insisted that his personal popularity remained strong and suggested that Republican candidates had failed to translate his support into votes.

“Well, number one, I was not on the ballot. But I campaigned hard for some people. And I think if I was on the ballot, it would have been a much different situation,” Trump said.

The president pointed to the large crowds at his campaign rallies but acknowledged that other factors had influenced voters.

“But there’s something beyond that. They didn’t like the war. They didn’t like the fact that gasoline went up,” he said.

Trump argued that the war with Iran had driven fuel prices higher, even as he maintained that preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons remained essential.

“Because I think everyone agrees that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he said.

Trump says Americans have ‘great dislike for Israel’

“And they will never have a nuclear weapon. They won’t have that. And there’s a great dislike, incredibly, for Israel.”

Trump continued: “There seems to be a dislike for Israel. So you have that. You have the war itself. You have the gas prices. And I think those are the primary reasons.”

The president did not specify which segments of the electorate he believed had developed negative attitudes toward Israel, nor did he cite polling data supporting that assessment.

He also acknowledged that his Make America Great Again movement had traditionally opposed American involvement in foreign wars.

“MAGA, and I always want to keep out of wars,” Trump said, arguing that his administration had successfully ended several international conflicts.

Trump on Vance’s criticism: ‘I don’t disagree with it’

Trump was also asked about Vice President JD Vance’s controversial assessment of the midterm defeat, in which Vance argued that the Iran war had alienated voters and addressed the administration’s relationship with Israel.

“I don’t disagree with it,” Trump replied.

The president revealed that Vance had consulted him before publishing his statement.

“He asked me, what do I think? I said, you write what you feel,” Trump recalled.

However, Trump said the vice president had omitted what he considered the central question: whether launching the military campaign against Iran had ultimately been the right decision.

“The one thing I wish he would’ve said there, if he felt it, and you’d have to ask him about that. But if you had it to do again, would you do it?” Trump said.

“My answer is an emphatic yes, because you can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump acknowledged that the decision might have damaged Republicans politically in the short term, but insisted it would ultimately be vindicated.

“I think historically, this will be a very good decision. Is it a good decision for today and tomorrow? Maybe not, but I would, you know, I have to go with what’s right for our country.”

The president argued that failing to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons would have been far more damaging to his presidency than the Republican election losses.

Trump claims Iran was close to a deal before the election

In one of the interview’s most significant disclosures, Trump claimed that Washington and Tehran had been close to reaching an agreement before Tuesday’s midterm elections.

“They wanted to make a deal just before the election,” he said.

“But we were close to making a deal. If we didn’t have this election, we might’ve even had, or within the next few days, we would’ve had a deal.”

Trump suggested that the Democratic victories had encouraged Iranian negotiators to believe they could secure better terms.

“We would’ve had a deal, except for this election,” he said.

Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that an agreement would eventually be reached.

Asked whether he intended to escalate the conflict now that the midterms were over, Trump said he did not.

“I’m not looking to. I don’t think there’s any reason to.”

The president repeatedly insisted that the United States had already won the war and that Iran was facing mounting pressure.

“That war has been won. Now they’re withering away as a country and they’ll come and they’ll make a deal,” he said.

‘Without us, Israel wouldn’t exist’

Trump also delivered an emphatic defense of the American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, arguing that they had prevented the destruction of Israel.

Asked whether Iran might still possess nuclear material, Trump dismissed the possibility that it could pose an immediate threat.

“They have nothing. It’s buried under thousands of tons of rock,” he said.

The president claimed that sophisticated American surveillance systems were monitoring the three nuclear sites struck by US forces, as well as the underground facility known as Pickaxe Mountain.

“We watch every one of those sites, the three that we blew up, and also Pickaxe Mountain,” he said.

Trump acknowledged uncertainty about what remained at Pickaxe Mountain but said the United States could strike the facility rapidly if necessary.

“If we needed to do Pickaxe, which we don’t at this moment, we would have that done in one hour.”

The president also addressed the continuing American military presence around the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that it had allowed oil shipments to resume.

He claimed that countries protected by the United States would ultimately reimburse Washington for the costs of the war.

“At the end of this whole thing, those countries that we’ve protected are going to pay us back any and all costs that we’ve had for the war,” Trump said.

“We’re gonna get all that money back.”

He then added: “Because without us, they wouldn’t exist. Without us, Israel wouldn’t exist.”

Asked whether he regretted helping Israel carry out strikes targeting Iran’s leadership, Trump defended the decision as necessary to eliminate the nuclear threat for the long term.

“I want to have it for the long term, not for the short term. We decapitated their nuclear arsenal,” he said.

“If I didn’t do that, there would be no Israel right now. Israel would be gone.”

Trump went further, claiming that Iran would use nuclear weapons almost immediately if it obtained them.

“They would use a nuclear weapon in 24 hours,” he said.

The president’s assertions about Iran’s remaining nuclear capabilities, the effectiveness of American strikes and Tehran’s intentions were not accompanied by new independently verifiable intelligence assessments.

Trump admits deportation policy was ‘too tough’

Beyond foreign policy, Trump made a striking acknowledgment about his administration’s immigration crackdown, conceding that the mass deportation campaign may have gone too far and hurt Republicans politically.

Asked whether the policy had contributed to the party’s electoral defeat, Trump argued that closing the southern border had been a major success, but acknowledged that removing undocumented immigrants who had worked in the United States for years had created political problems.

“We also took people that had good jobs, that created one violation were breaking of the law, and that was that they came into the country illegally,” Trump said.

He noted that many Americans believed long-term undocumented workers should be allowed to remain if they were productive members of their communities.

Asked directly whether his deportation policy had gone too far, Trump replied: “I think it was too tough.”

“I think it might be too tough, yeah. And a lot of people would say that it’s great, but a lot of people think it’s too tough,” he added.

Trump suggested that he could reach an agreement with Democrats to allow certain undocumented workers, including those employed in hotels, landscaping and other industries, to remain in the country.

He said some Democrats had already contacted him about possible cooperation.

Asked whether he could refrain from insulting Democratic lawmakers for six months if doing so were necessary to reach an agreement, Trump responded: “Very easily.”

The remarks represented an unusual acknowledgment by Trump that one of the administration’s signature policies had generated political backlash.

Trump blames poor messaging and the media for economic dissatisfaction

Trump also addressed voters’ dissatisfaction with the economy despite what he described as exceptionally strong economic indicators.

Asked why Americans remained unhappy about the cost of living, inflation and wages, Trump suggested that his administration had failed to communicate its achievements effectively.

“I think it was bad messaging, maybe by me,” he said.

He then criticized the media, accusing news organizations of refusing to report positive economic developments under Republican administrations.

“Look, the press doesn’t cover, the press doesn’t cover positive news for Republicans. They don’t cover, certainly, positive news for me. So I have to do it myself.”

Trump said that was one of the reasons he had held so many campaign rallies before the midterms.

He claimed that the stock market had lost approximately $3 trillion in value following the Democratic victories and blamed the decline on investors’ concerns about the incoming congressional majorities.

The president also highlighted employment figures showing 165,000 new jobs, arguing that the numbers had significantly exceeded expectations.

He lamented that the figures had been released after the elections rather than before them.

Trump suggested that voters would begin to recognize the administration’s economic achievements over the coming months as investments in manufacturing, energy and other industries produced tangible results.

Trump signals possible personnel changes, defends Hegseth

Asked whether he planned to dismiss administration officials following the Republican defeat, Trump acknowledged that changes were possible.

“A little bit,” he said.

“I love my cabinet. I think they’re good, but I’ll be doing maybe a few changes.”

The president declined to identify officials who might leave.

When asked specifically whether he continued to have confidence in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose possible impeachment has been discussed by lawmakers, Trump answered affirmatively.

“I do. Look, we’ve won two wars,” he said, referring to American military operations in Venezuela and Iran.

Trump credited the military with what he described as a successful campaign against the Venezuelan government and claimed that Iran’s naval and air capabilities had been destroyed.

Asked whether Hegseth personally deserved credit for the Venezuela operation, Trump offered a more qualified response.

“No, but he was a part of it,” he said.

“I credit great soldiers, great generals, and great equipment.”

Trump nevertheless condemned the efforts to impeach the defense secretary.

“We had two wars. We won both. We won Venezuela. We won Iran,” he said.

“How do you impeach a guy that, we had two wars, we won them both?”

Trump declines to commit to Vance for 2028, praises Rubio

The president was also questioned about the future of the Republican Party and whether he intended to endorse a successor in the 2028 presidential election.

“Probably, not necessarily,” Trump replied.

Asked about potential candidates other than Vice President Vance, Trump praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“Well, I think Marco’s great,” he said.

Trump said he expected Rubio to remain secretary of state, describing him as someone who enjoyed the job and was performing well.

“He certainly loves it, and he’s doing great, he’s doing a fantastic job.”

The president added that several senators and other Republican figures could emerge as potential successors.

He suggested that he might ultimately decide against endorsing anyone, despite his confidence in the power of his political support.

“Maybe I’m better off not getting involved,” he said.

Trump questioned over family business interests and cryptocurrency

One of the interview’s most confrontational exchanges concerned Trump’s personal wealth and his family’s business activities.

Douthat cited a Forbes report estimating that Trump’s net worth had increased by approximately $3 billion since his return to the White House.

Trump initially responded that others had also benefited from the stock market’s rise.

“Well, you should have had stock,” he told the interviewer.

Pressed on his own financial gains, Trump said he devoted almost no time to his net worth and that his sons managed his business interests.

“I have a lot of money, and far more than I ever thought I’d have. And I guess it’s gone up. I don’t even know,” he said.

Douthat questioned Trump about World Liberty Financial, the cryptocurrency company in which the president and his family have financial interests, including investments connected to the United Arab Emirates.

Asked whether foreign investors might be attempting to purchase influence through the company, Trump said he did not know and argued that conflicts of interest were common across presidential administrations.

He maintained that his sons operated the family businesses and that he could not reasonably expect them to stop working simply because he was president.

Trump on AI: ‘If we don’t have it, China’s gonna have it’

The interview also addressed the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and competition between Washington and Beijing.

Trump described himself as strongly supportive of the technology, arguing that American leadership was essential to national security and economic prosperity.

“If we don’t have it, China’s gonna have it,” he said.

“That would put us at an unbelievable disadvantage.”

Trump said he believed concerns about the dangers of advanced AI were exaggerated, although he acknowledged the need for some safeguards.

“I think that the risk is not nearly as real as they talk. And I think the risk can be managed,” he said.

In an unusual disclosure, Trump claimed that his administration had threatened a senior figure at a major AI company with imprisonment over unspecified conduct.

He refused to identify the individual but said the threat had prompted an immediate change in behavior.

The president maintained that the United States must remain ahead of China in developing what he prefers to call “superintelligence.”

Trump on Ukraine: ‘We’re very close to making a deal’

Discussing the continuing war between Russia and Ukraine, Trump expressed optimism that a diplomatic agreement could soon be reached.

“I believe we’re very close to making a deal,” he said.

The president attributed one of the main obstacles to what he described as intense personal hostility between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Asked which leader he trusted more, Trump declined to answer directly.

“I’d rather not say, but I get along with both,” he replied.

He claimed that American diplomatic efforts were approaching a breakthrough.

“I believe that that war is going to end and it’s gonna end soon. And the only reason it’s gonna end is because of me.”

Trump also defended his administration’s approach to military assistance for Ukraine, arguing that European countries were now paying for American weapons rather than receiving them at US taxpayers’ expense.

He said Washington continued to supply the weapons but that Europe was financing the purchases.

Asked about reported disruptions to the Starlink satellite system used by Ukrainian forces, Trump said he did not know who had been responsible for reducing service but indicated that the problem had subsequently been resolved.

Trump discusses pardons and refuses to forgive political enemies

Near the end of the interview, Trump said he expected to issue a substantial number of pardons before leaving office, partly to protect administration officials from potential prosecutions under future governments.

“I intend to issue tremendous numbers of pardons,” he said.

Trump defended his previous pardons of defendants convicted in connection with the January 6 Capitol riot, arguing that they had been treated unfairly.

The conversation then turned to more personal questions, including mortality, faith and the possibility of forgiveness.

Asked what he believed would happen to him after death, Trump described himself as religious.

“Well, I’m a religious person. So in theory, I go to heaven,” he said.

“I hope so. I don’t want to go to hell.”

Douthat then asked whether Trump could forgive political enemies, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former FBI Director James Comey, if forgiveness were necessary to enter heaven.

Trump initially resisted the hypothetical.

“If I said to you, sure, the easy answer to that, oh yes, I could forgive,” he said, suggesting that such a response would be dishonest.

He described his opponents as deeply dishonest people who had harmed the country.

Asked directly whether the answer was no, Trump replied: “The answer is no. I want to be honest.”

The interviewer pressed further, asking whether Trump would still refuse to forgive his enemies even before God’s judgment.

“Can I be honest? I probably cannot do that now because I do hate some of my enemies and I always will,” the president said.

Finally, asked how he hoped his presidency would be remembered 100 years from now, Trump offered a single sentence:

“That I made America great again.”

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